Paarl Rocks name Udana as replacement for Willey

Isuru Udana's impressive outings with the bat and ball on Sri Lanka's tour to South Africa upped interests © Getty

Cricket South Africa have announced Isuru Udana as a replacement international marquee player for Paarl Rocks for the upcoming season of the Mzansi Super League. Udana is set to replace England all-rounder David Willey, who has ruled himself out due to workload management.

"We are very excited to get a player of Isuru's calibre who was Sri Lanka's star player during their KFC T20 Series against the Standard Bank Proteas earlier this year," Corrie van Zyl, the CSA Acting Director of Cricket, said. "He made more than twice the number of runs as any of his colleagues and had a strike rate of more than 170 percent. This is right up with the very best standards by any comparison. He has a career strike rate of 153 in the T20 International format and one of 96 in ODIs."

Isuru Udana was Sri Lanka's best batsmen in the limited overs format during their tour to South Africa earlier this year. He also played a vital role with the ball by displaying the wealth of variations although the visitors failed, remaining winless in the white-ball format.

Speaking of Udana's value to the team, van Zyl said: "He was a regular choice for Sri Lanka throughout the recent ICC Men's Cricket World Cup which included his playing a crucial role in his country's upset 20-run win over the eventual champions, England. One of his two wickets was that of England captain Eoin Morgan."

"He is currently in action for Sri Lanka in their T20 Series against New Zealand and I am sure the Paarl Rocks players, management and fans will be keeping a close eye on his performance," he added.

Paarl Rocks finished third in the inaugural edition of the Mzansi Super League and unfortunately, they were denied a spot in the final as their knock-out game (eliminator vs Jozi Stars) got washed out due to rain.

SOUTH AFRICAN MARQUEE PLAYERS

Cape Town Blitz: Quinton de Kock

Durban Heat: Andile Phehlukwayo

Jozi Stars: Kagiso Rabada

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants: Imran Tahir

Paarl Rocks: Faf du Plessis

Tshwane Spartans: AB de Villiers

INTERNATIONAL MARQUEE PLAYERS

Cape Town Blitz: Wahab Riaz (Pakistan)

Durban Heat: Alex Hales (England)

Jozi Stars: Chris Gayle (Windies)

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants: Jason Roy (England)

Paarl Rocks: Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka)

Tshwane Spartans: Tom Curran (England)